sau2 fu2首府
Jyutpingsau2 fu2
Yalesáu fú
Definition
The capital of a political subdivision, such as a state or region.
neutralplaces
How it's used
Distinguishing between administrative levels is essential when using this term. While it refers to the seat of government for a region or province, it is never used for the capital of a sovereign nation, which requires the term 首都. Using this word for a national capital will sound like a translation error or a misunderstanding of political geography.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Where is the capital of this region?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this word for any major city or the capital of a country. Always reserve it for regional administrative centers, and use 首都 for national capitals or 省會 for provincial capitals to be precise.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
